The Joy Of Kids
by InvestInLove
Summary: Elliot, Olivia, and Eli go to a public pool. Includes floats, sea monsters, 5 year olds, kisses, fluff, and of course EO. What could go wrong? ONESHOT.


**This probably the weirdest and most unique idea I've ever had. When I got it, I got REALLY, REALLY excited and started freaking out and talking to myself. I think I screamed too. My nine year old sister looked at me like I was completely insane, but its all good. I'm definitely going one-shot crazy lately!**

**This just proves how EO-shipper-crazy I am. Me and my sister were in the pool, and for some strange reason we were naming our floats(you know like the tubes that you put around you…like I said SHE'S NINE…even though it kinda my idea. Hah.) And I named my Elliot, so I told her to name hers Olivia. And then, the idea was born. :) Ok. Stop throwing things at me. I'm done.**

**OK I LIED I'M NOT DONE. It's been a few years, so Eli is now 5. Now I'm done. I promise.**

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"I don't understand why I needed to come with you, El. I mean its one damn kid. How hard is to watch him?" Olivia said as she followed Elliot and Eli into the humid room. Although it was November, the indoor public pool was still open, and Elliot was taking Eli there for the day.

"Liv! Don't let him hear you talking like that. Kathy would kill me if he goes home Monday saying damn. And I really did need you to come. There's a million kids here. Its almost impossible for one person to watch one kid." Olivia rolled her eyes. "And plus…there's the whole bathroom situation."

"Uhh…what?" Olivia asked, looking confused.

"Well…you know. When you gotta go, you gotta GO. And there's no possible way to get Eli out of that damn pool until he's ready…Last time I had to hold it for like…4 hours. And I drank a whole can of Mountain Dew on the way here, and another when I got here." Elliot said.

"And you tell me to watch my language, Elliot?" Olivia teased. "And I understand perfectly. You wanted me here so you could pee."

Elliot cracked up, causing Eli to turn around and look curiously at the two adults. "Daddy, what's so funny?"

"Nothing, Eli. You know adult jokes aren't funny." Elliot said.

"Yeah. You know, mommy never takes me to the pool." Eli said. "I think I like you better. And Livia." He hadn't learned to say Olivia's name quite right yet, but she had been like a second mom to him since the divorce. She and Elliot had never actually had a relationship, but she was always around, willing to help.

"Eli! She's your mom. You're not supposed to like either parent more. Even though she never takes you to the pool, she's a great mom, and I'm sure she does plenty of fun things with you." Elliot said, although deep down he was happy that his son liked him better.

"No, not really." He said. "Why do I have to like her? You don't." He said innocently. Olivia bit her lip, trying to keep a straight face.

"You know that's not true. I do like your mom. We're friends. And I know you love her, Eli. She's your mom." Elliot said, trying to be serious.

"Then why aren't you married?" Eli crossed his arms over his chest and tilted his head to the side, as if he was expecting an answer. He had seen someone do it in a cartoon, and hadn't stopped doing it since.

As soon as the words were out his mouth, Olivia lost it. She turned around so Eli couldn't see her face and cracked up. For someone his age, Eli seemed to know a lot, and an outing with him was never boring.

"Hey Eli! Isn't that Gracie from your class?" Elliot asked. Thankfully, he had spotted a girl that was in Eli's kindergarten class, who he'd had a "crush" on, since the beginning of the school year.

"Yeah!" Elliot said. "I'm going to go play now. By daddy!" Eli ran off to join Gracie, and Elliot turned out to face Olivia, who was beet red and bent over, trying to breathe from laughing so hard.

"He's definitely something." Olivia said once she had composed herself.

"Yeah. Sometimes I can't believe the things that come out of his mouth. He's so damn smart!" Elliot said.

"I wonder where he gets it. Obviously, not from the fathers side." Olivia said, jokingly. "Or the mothers." She said, slightly quieter, rolling her eyes.

"Why would you say that?" Elliot asked.

"Well for one thing, she left you!" Olivia said. She didn't mean for it come out, but it just slipped.

"Sorry. That was kinda…nevermind. I…your right about that bathroom thing. I'll be right back." Olivia walked away, wanting to slam her head against the wall because of what she had just said. She didn't know where she was, or if she was anywhere near a bathroom, but she in an empty hallway, so she slid down to the floor and put her head in her hands.

Seconds later she heard footsteps and looked up to see Elliot walking down the hallway, obviously looking for her.

"Listen, El. I'm sorry. That comment was un-called for." Olivia said.

"No. Liv, its fine. Don't make a big deal about it because its not." Elliot said.

"Hey…how'd you know where to find me?" Olivia asked.

"Well, since the bathroom is on the other side of the pool, I figured I'd better come and give you some help since you seem to be…directionally challenged." Olivia blushed and punched Elliot on the arm.

"Wait…what about Eli?" Olivia started to get worried. "You bring me here to help you watch him and then you leave him out there with no one watching him? I don't get you, Elliot."

"Don't worry, Gracie's mom is watching him. And I didn't only invite you to watch him. Its nice having your company, Liv." He said, causing Olivia to blush again.

"Uhm. Thanks. But next time just tell me and don't make up an excuse about peeing." Olivia teased.

Elliot laughed. "Well, ok. That was part of it."

Olivia laughed and they walked back out to the pool area. They saw Eli and Gracie standing on the edge of the pool, about to jump in, Eli with a green float and Gracie with a pink one. They didn't notice that Elliot and Olivia had came back to the building, so they just stood and watched them, listening in on their conversation.

"Hey, Eli maybe we should name our floats!" Gracie said, her big blue eyes bright with excitement.

"Ok. Mine's going to be Elliot, after my dad. Well, actually my name is Elliot too. Elliot Junior. But no one really calls me Elliot."

"Mine's going to be…what's your dads girl friend's name?" Gracie asked.

"You mean the one who came with him?" Gracie nodded. "That's Livia. But she's not his girlfriend. She's just his friend."

"You mean Olivia? Just friends is what old people say when they don't want you to know they're boyfriend and girlfriend." Gracie informed him.

"Oh. Ok then." He said, then decided to make his float start talking. "Livia you ready?" He asked.

"I'm ready Elliot!" Gracie said, giggling.

"You better hurry before the evil sea monster Kathy comes!" Eli yelled.

Gracie looked at him, confused. "Isn't Kathy your mom's name?" She asked.

"Yeah but my mom is mean, so I like to pretend she's the evil sea monster." Eli said.

"Oh ok!" Gracie smiled. "On the count of three we'll jump. One, two, THREE!" The two kids jumped in, not even going under the water because the floats were holding them up, laughing, and continuing their game.

Elliot and Olivia were still standing on the side of the pool, listening. Even though she thought it wasn't possible, Olivia's face was an even brighter shade of red and she was too afraid to even look at Elliot.

Elliot was looking off to the side, trying to keep his eyes away from Olivia's. As many times as he'd told Eli that him and Olivia were just friends, he never quite seemed to believe it. And he suddenly wished that he hadn't brought Olivia there. He didn't want her to find out that he had feelings for her, especially through two 5 year olds imaginary game.

They stood there for a few more minutes in silence, avoiding each other's eyes and pretending to be watching Eli.

Elliot sighed, looking over at Olivia. "Listen, Liv. They're just kids. They don't know what they're talking about."

"I know that, Elliot." Olivia said, still unable to look him in the eye.

They went to sit down at some of the few free chairs that were still left and tried to make things less awkward.

They had been sitting there a few seconds when Elliot looked over to see Olivia trying to hide her laughter.

"What's so funny Liv?" Elliot asked, thinking he had missed something.

"Nothing…I'm just thinking. I can definitely tell that boy is yours." She said, smiling.

"What do you mean? Is he that good looking already?" He joked.

She smacked him in the chest. "Please, no. He's going to be way more attractive than you. I can tell already." She joked. "He reminds me of you because he of the way he says things. I mean… he's really straightforward and he always says exactly what comes to his head. And even when something stupid comes out, it turns out to be…I don't know…cute."

"Olivia Benson! Did you just say I was _cute_?" Elliot put his hand on his chest, pretending to be shocked.

"Of course not. I meant Eli." She lied turning red.

"Don't even deny it. You think I'm sexy." He teased.

"In your dreams, Stabler." She said, rolling her eyes.

"Daddy, daddy!" Eli and Gracie ran up to them, looking excited. "We have a play to put on for you. Well…its kind of our floats who do the play…but we talk, because _everyone_ knows that floats don't talk." He said, grinning.

"Ok. Go ahead. We're watching." Elliot said, trying not laugh.

"No, silly. You have to come closer to the pool. You too Olivia." Gracie said. She grabbed Eli's hand and led him back to the pool, followed by Elliot and Olivia.

They're performance seemed to be the same thing they had seen them do earlier, with one minor change…

"Daddy and Livia, now its your turn to do the…" He turned to Gracie. "What's that word called?" He whispered.

"Oh, right. Finale. You have to do the finale as real people. Not our floats." Eli said.

"Ok. What is the finale, Eli?" Olivia said, trying to keep a straight face.

"You want to tell them or should I?" Eli asked Gracie.

"You do it. He's _your_ dad." Gracie said.

"Ok, fine." He took a deep breath like he was about to make an important announcement. "For the finale, you and Livia have to kiss. But only because Kathy the evil sea monster is on her way to get you and the only way to keep her away is if you kiss."

"Eli…" Elliot started. "Is this really necessary?"

"Oh, they're just chicken." Gracie said to Eli.

"Chicken?" Elliot asked Gracie, and Olivia had to smile. Go figure, Elliot to feel threatened by a five year old calling him a chicken.

"Yes chicken. And I'm not going to take it back til you kiss her." Gracie crossed her arms in front of her chest and got a determined look on her face that made her look 10 years older than she was.

"If the kids really want us to kiss, I think we should do it." Olivia joined in.

"Seriously?" Elliot asked.

"Well, yeah. You don't want Gracie calling you a chicken the rest of your life, do you?" She teased.

"Ok, fine." Elliot said. "We're going to do it, so you better be watching." He said to the two kids.

Olivia looked at him, her heart pounding. Her first kiss with Elliot was going to be in a humid, chlorine smelling room with a million screaming kids, but she didn't care. It was what she had been waiting for since the day her and Elliot got to be partners.

They leaned into each other, and closed their eyes as their faces grew closer together. As soon as their lips touched, they heard two shrieks of "EWW!", running footsteps, and two splashes into the pool, but they didn't stop kissing.

Finally, when they were both short of breath they stopped and looked into each other's eyes.

Elliot looked over at Eli, playing in the pool with Gracie and made a silence prayer that he was blessed with a son like him. If he hadn't he never would have kissed the woman of his dreams, then looked back at Olivia.

"Yep, that's definitely my kid."

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**What did you think? This is the first time I've ever written anything with any of Elliot's kids in it, and definitely the first time I've written something like this. Lately I've been getting out of the sad oneshots and more into the fluffy ones, but I think I write fluffy stuff better, but only oneshots. I don't how good this actually was, but I think it had a cute factor of a million. Oh well, my opinion doesn't matter. Review!**


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